Toronto FC forward, Sebastian Giovinco, is following up his MVP campaign from last season with yet another great year in 2016, could he win back-to-back MLS MVP awards?
After winning the Landon Donovan MLS MVP award in 2015, Sebastian Giovinco is seemingly out to prove that he is the best player in Major League Soccer. He is following up his stellar season in 2015 with yet another great year in 2016. Could he be the first player to win back-to-back MLS MVP awards?
In short, yes. There is no denying that Giovinco is one of the best players in Major League Soccer today but a second straight MVP award would solidify him atop of the league. He has a great shot at completing a feat that has never been done in the likes of MLS before.
It is pretty remarkable what Sebastian is able to do out on the pitch and you will likely see some magic from him in just about every match. He is one of the most exciting and electrifying players in the league today. The Italian international has taken not only Toronto FC fans by storm but Major League Soccer as well.
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It isn’t just that Giovinco could win the MVP for a second straight year but it is that he may be able to win the MVP and the Golden Boot awards in two consecutive seasons. He was able to win both of those awards last season after he recorded a league high 22 goals in 33 games. He also led the league in assists in 2015 with 16.
The 29-year old forward is currently second in the league in goals scored this season with 12 through 21 games. He only trails NYCFC’s, David Villa, by one goal and he may be able to catch him by the end of the season in the race for the Golden Boot award.
Sebastian is also tied for second in MLS with 10 assists so far this season. He is tied with Mauro Diaz (FC Dallas) and he only trails Sacha Kljestan (New York Red Bulls) who has a league leading 12 assists. With Giovinco’s creativity, he may also be able to catch Kljestan in his pursuit of leading the league in assists for a second straight season.
The 5’4 forward is looking to make MLS history this season with Toronto FC. Even if he doesn’t win the Golden Boot or leads the league in assists, he may still be able to win the Major League Soccer Most Valuable Player award because of his ability to do both. He will likely be near the top of the league in both of those categories by the end of the year.
Individual success throughout the regular season is important but team success is also a factor in selecting the MVP. Giovinco was able to win the award despite Toronto FC only finishing in sixth place in the Eastern Conference. TFC are currently in second place in the East with 33 total points (9-7-6) and they are only three points behind NYCFC. They will likely finish near the top of the Eastern Conference as well as near the top of the league at the end of the year.
If Sebastian Giovinco continues on his scoring and assisting pace for the rest of the MLS season, then there is no doubt that he will win back-to-back MVP awards. He also has a chance to win back-to-back golden boots and to lead the league in assists. With his team’s success this year, he may also be able to win an MLS Cup title with Toronto FC.